Thursday, October 30, 2014

Triple Whammy: Anxiety, Benzos, and Opiates

Triple Whammy: Anxiety, Benzos,
and Opiates

by Gabriella Pinto-Coelho

It’s no
secret that mental health issues increase your risk of substance abuse. In
fact, estimates indicate that individuals diagnosed with mood or
anxiety disorders are twice as likely as the general
population to suffer from a substance abuse disorder!

Statistics from the 2012
National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that almost 8.4 million American
adults have both a mental and
substance use disorder. Unfortunately, only 7.9% receive treatment for both
conditions and the vast majority (53.7%) do not receive any treatment at all.
The case is even grimmer for those with more severe mental illnesses like
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (see NIDA Report for more).

This
predisposition toward addiction puts individuals with mental health issues in a
risky place when it comes to medications. A class of medications called
benzodiazepines, commonly referred to as “benzos,” have been used since the
1950's and 60's to treat anxiety, mood disorders, and insomnia.

While there are
patients that safely manage mental illness with the help of these medications,
there are also considerable risks. For one, benzo users often mix these drugs
with opioids with potentially deadly consequences. Both benzos and opioids are
sedatives that slow respiration - as a doctor interviewed by NPR has said, “they potentiate each other — they make each other
stronger. And so one plus one doesn't equal two; it equals three or four."

Data from the CDC show that the mixing of benzos and opioids contributes to 30%
of all opioid related deaths. Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s untimely death in
February 2014 was attributed to a mixing of benzos and other drugs.

This leaves people suffering with mental illness and substance
abuse in a precarious position. A dependence on benzos often begins as the
search to manage life-limiting anxiety or other mood disorders, and somewhere
along the way opioids come into the mix.

It is easy to see how things can
quickly spiral out of control! Despite these startling facts and figures, there
is always hope. Benzos are not the only option for treating anxiety and mood
disorders. And, just as there are treatment options to overcome mood disorders,
there are treatment options to overcome addiction.

If you or someone you love is in need of a detox off of opiates, benzos, Methadone, or Suboxone, please do not hesitate to call Jennifer Pius or Amy Stewart at 1-877-773-3869 to learn more about our treatment offerings.

About Me

The Coleman Institute, the Advanced Center for Addiction Treatment, is recognized as one of the most successful and innovative outpatient accelerated detox centers for addiction treatment in the country with 10 offices in the U.S.
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